


Love Has No Limits

by fandommatchmaker19



Series: Hello, Elizabeth [5]
Category: Legacies (TV 2018)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Angst, F/M, Hurt/Comfort, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-03-31
Updated: 2020-03-31
Packaged: 2021-02-28 19:48:30
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 9,831
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23402491
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/fandommatchmaker19/pseuds/fandommatchmaker19
Summary: An AU version of episode 2x15 - "Life Was So Much Easier When I Only Cared About Myself"When Josie decides to rush the Merge, Lizzie has to make a choice. Of course, it's not helped by the fact that she hasn't told Sebastian the truth. When he finds out, it could be destructive. Do his feelings for her really have no limits?
Relationships: Lizzie Saltzman/Sebastian
Series: Hello, Elizabeth [5]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1615000
Comments: 1
Kudos: 19





	Love Has No Limits

**Author's Note:**

> This is basically episode 2x15 aka the Fake Merge episode, but with Sebastian in it. Enjoy!

She felt him stir behind her, his arms wrapped around her waist, his face buries in her hair, her skin tingled as he pressed his lips to her shoulder. Her own eyes shut briefly as she let out a deep breath, her entire body practically shuddering.

“Happy Birthday, Elizabeth,” he whispers in her ear, and she blinks back the tear that had spilt over her cheek, though she doesn’t move. Another kiss behind her ear, his tongue swiping across her earlobe and she shudders in pleasure as he trails kisses down her neck before reaching her shoulder and pressing another kiss. His hand moves from her waist to her cheek, and he forces her to turn to him, so she twists in his arms, finally facing him, her blue eyes meeting his. “Hello, Elizabeth,” he says softly, and her lips stretch into a half smile as he reaches to tuck her hair behind her ear before gently cupping her cheek, his thumb brushing against her cheek.

She sighs, seeing the question in his eyes, the question he won’t ask, and breaks the silence that had settled between them. “I don’t want to celebrate my birthday. I don’t want my birthday to be a thing. Okay?” she asks softly, reaching to cup his cheek with her palm, and he leans into the touch, letting out a sigh. He nods, albeit reluctantly and presses his lips to her palm.

“Is it because of Josette?” he asks, and she nods, though it’s not entirely true. [Sure, Josie turning into Dark Josie was a reason Lizzie didn’t feel like celebrating. But, there was also the fact that turning seventeen meant she was one year closer to the Merge, one year closer to dying. _Or, killing her sister,_ but she didn’t want to think of that being a possibility. But, she wasn’t about to tell Sebastian that. She knew she had to tell him about the Merge, that he had a right to know, especially since they were officially together, since it was so clear how much he cared about her. But, there was still a lot they both had to work on, stemming from their own personal issues and what had happened in the prison world. And, now they were good, and she was so happy, she wasn’t about to ruin it]. Instead, she moves closer to him, her feet tangled with his, and he forces a comforting smile. “Then, we won’t celebrate, as much as I’d like to… of course, it could involve copulation,” he says huskily his hands drifting to her waist, pulling her closer, and she can’t help but smile slightly.

“I do enjoy the copulation,” she admits, leaning closer to him, their noses brushing, lips mere inches from each other, and finally she closes the gap between them, capturing his lips with her own. Sebastian responds immediately, his lips firm and hungry against hers as he pulls her on top of him and she straddles his hips while he reaches to pull off the pajama shorts she’d been wearing, his fingers rubbing slow and sensuous circles on her hips, causing her to shiver slightly in pleasure, and she can feel him harden against her as she grinds her hips against his. Her hands are cupping his cheeks, her thumbs rubbing along his jaw as she kisses him deeply, passionately, almost desperately. Their tongues tangle together for a few seconds as Sebastian reaches to grasp the hem of her camisole, fitting his hand underneath and reaching to grasp her breast. She arches her back in pleasure, letting out a muffled moan in the back of her throat before she finally breaks the kiss, letting him pull the delicate material off, and she smirks slightly as his eyes drift over her, darkened with lust. She reaches for his sweatpants, grasping the material before yanking them off along with his boxers as Sebastian cups her breast with one hand, rubbing her nipples slowly while reaching for her thong with his other, ripping them off. Their lips meet again, tongues dueling to that all-too familiar rhythm as she continues to grind her hips against his, his hands cupping her breasts, fingers rubbing her nipples causing her to arch her back. And then, Sebastian breaks the kiss only to trail kisses down her neck and collarbone to her breasts before he starts nipping and biting and sucking on her nipples, causing her to shudder in pleasure, her fingers pulling onto his hair, head thrown back as she lets out a loud moan while he pulls away from one breast before moving onto the next, giving it a similar treatment. He pulls away completely, and flips them over so he’s on top, a smirk forming on his lips, and there’s a lustful glint in his eyes, and she smirks, too, her stomach tightening with anticipation. He thrusts into her, and she lets out a loud moan, fisting his hair in her hands as she arches her back and shifts slightly to accommodate him as he starts picking up pace, and she grinds her hips against his, matching his movements as his lips to her ear and he licks her earlobe, causing her skin to tingle all over. Slowly, he trails his lips along her neck while his thrusts become more frantic and she rubs her toes against his calf, arching her back as he settles on her collarbone, biting, and nipping, and sucking, causing her to let out a loud moan.

“Oh, God!” she practically screams as she moves his hands from her waist to her hair, his fingers sinking in her long, blonde tresses as he continues his ministrations on her collarbone. “Fuck… Sebastian… oh, fuck…” she pants out, arching her back as he continues his to thrust inside her, and her own hips grind frantically against his, matching his movements perfectly. Finally, he pulls away from her collarbone, and she reaches for him, tugging slightly on his hair, pulling him to face her, and their noses brush, their breaths mingling. His thrusts are becoming more and more erratic, and she can feel her climax building, and she’s sure he’s close, too, so she tilts her head slightly and presses her lips against his neck, causing Sebastian to moan, head slightly thrown back. She doesn’t stop there, and trails her lips along his neck before settling on the curve of his shoulder, her teeth lightly biting on the skin.

“Elizabeth… oh, Elizabeth…” he mumbles in her hair as her hands trail to his back, and she digs her nails into his skin, causing him to tense slightly, though he still continues to thrust into her while she bites, and nips, and sucks on his skin, her moan muffled by it. [She had to admit, copulation was the perfect distraction from her earlier thoughts of doom]. With a swift movement she flips them over so she’s on top, and she straddles him, her hips grinding firmly against his. She pulls away from the crook of his neck only to press her lips against his, kissing him firmly, hungrily, almost desperately. He responds immediately, deepening the kiss, his hands in her hair trailing to her back while she cups his cheeks, and he kisses back just as passionately, and she continues to ride him in an almost frenzy and she’s so close. Briefly, she breaks the kiss, her breath coming in soft pants against his lips.

“So close…” she mumbles.

“Me too, Elizabeth…” he replies, his eyes dark with lust, before flipping them over once more. With one more thrust, he spills into her and she lets out a loud moan as she, too, reaches an Earth-shattering release and he collapses on top of her before rolling over, reaching to wrap his arm around her waist and pulling her closer. She nuzzles against him, resting her head on his shoulder, and she rests one hand on his chest, her fingers absently tracing patterns.

“Happy birthday, Elizabeth,” he repeats his earlier statement, and she shakes her head, humming softly.

“Thank you… for the copulation,” she says instead, tilting her head to press a kiss to his jaw.

“It was enjoyable,” he nods in agreement, a smile stretching on his lips. Her phone buzzes, and she stretches to her nightstand to grab it. There was a message from Hope, but her eyes widen upon seeing the time.

“Crap,” she says, sitting up quickly, causing Sebastian to sit up in surprise.

“What is it?” he asks, reaching to tuck her hair behind her ear, and she can feel his eyes roam over her naked body. “We have to go, we’ll be late for assembly!” she says as she scrambles out of bed, grabbing his t-shirt off the floor from when he’d thrown it the night before. She runs her hand through her hair as she goes to grab her toiletries. Sebastian, too, gets up, throwing on his boxers and sweatpants before coming over to her, wrapping his arms around her waist, his lips brushing against ear, and her stomach tightens as his teeth nip her ear lightly. “S- stop,” she mumbles, pushing him slightly away. “We have to go to morning assembly,” she tells him with a sigh. Sebastian sighs and rolls his eyes.

“Always a highlight of my morning,” he mumbles, more to himself, and she can’t help but roll her eyes. [Sometimes, she couldn’t help but wonder why he was still attending the school since he so very clearly didn’t enjoy it. Part of her wonders if it’s because of her, but another part of her thinks it’s just that he has nowhere else to go]. But, she doesn’t say anything to him, and instead watches as he moves at vampire speed around her bedroom.

“What are you doing?” she asks, scoffing slightly.

“Making your bed,” he tells her, matter-of-factly, not looking up as he arranged her pillows and duvet.

“I can do it!” she exclaims, though it’s a lost argument as soon as she tries to.

“I’m aware, Elizabeth. However, you forget I have the advantage of vampire speed, and you my darling… move much too slow,” he quips, flashing her a self-satisfied smirk.

“Are you calling me slow?” she retorts, crossing her arms. “Not all of us have the advantage of vampire speed,” she adds.

“I definitely am… calling you slow,” he says, and she notices the mischievous glint in his eyes. She only has a second to dash towards the door when he vamp-speeds to her, his hands resting on either side of her, effectively blocking her, keeping her from moving. Except, he hadn’t quite realized that she could siphon with her whole body and that her hands were still free. With one swift movement, she threw him across the room onto her bed, and smirked as she approached him.

“You were saying?” she quips, and he chuckles.

“Yes, well, that is called cheating,” he tells her, still grinning.

“And using your vampire speed is not?” she raises an eyebrow.

“Of course not, Elizabeth. Now, you were saying something about not wanting to be late to morning assembly? As much as I’d like to continue our copulation, your father would be mad. I’ll meet you there,” he tells her, and she sighs reluctantly. [Having sex with Sebastian for the whole day would definitely be better than pretending everything was fine. But, she couldn’t].

“Fine. I’ll see you there,” she tells him as he gets up and walks towards her, capturing her lips with his own. She kisses him back, a lingering sort of kiss, before pulling away.

* * *

After taking her sweet time in the shower and getting ready, Lizzie exits her room, only to find Sebastian leaning against it, wearing his usual uniform attire. They walk to assembly hand in hand, and sit behind Hope, MG and Landon. Hope flashes her a gentle smile, and so does MG, but both her friends knew how she felt about the date. Her dad was talking about measures they’d taken to deal with Josie, but Lizzie could see how much it was hurting him, and how much hope he still had. [Sebastian on the other hand simply looked bored, only half-listening, but she knew this was because he didn’t quite agree with her dad’s methods].

Just as her dad finished his speech, and said they just had to find Josie, vowing to get through to her, the doors to the great hall slammed open, and everyone turned around only to find Josie walking towards them confidently. Beside her, Sebastian immediately tensed, and so did she.

“I’m right here, dad,” her sister smirked, and she sees Hope stand up carefully. “Oh, don’t look so shocked…” Josie said once she’d levitated herself down the stairs. “Did you really think I’d miss my birthday?” she quips, and turns to Lizzie, reaching to tuck a strand of her hair behind her ear, “oh I’m sorry… our birthday,” she coos, and Sebastian tightens his grip on her hand, pulling her slightly towards him before turning his attention to her twin.

“Get your hands off her,” he hisses, his entire body tensed and ready to attack, and she squeezes his hand reassuringly. Josie, or rather Dark Josie, laughs cynically. “I’m serious, Josette. I suggest you keep your hands off Elizabeth, or you and I will talk differently,” he threatens, and Lizzie takes in a deep breath. With an eye roll, Josie pulls away and struts past her towards her dad while Sebastian pulls her closer. She notices her dad swallow thickly, and Hope’s gaze flickers to her before Josie spins on her heal and floats away.

“Uh, dismissed!” her dad announces and she sighs. Everyone disperses, and Lizzie moves in the direction of Spell Lab, but is stopped by a hand on her wrist. When she turns, she finds Sebastian’s worried gaze, and she sighs, her shoulders slumping. She moves towards him, and reaches to cup his cheek, and he leans into her touch.

“Hey,” she says softly. “I’m okay, just a little shaken,” tells him, and he nods. Still, she doesn’t let go, so she wraps both her arms around him, and he hugs her back, pulling her to him, letting out a shuddering breath. They rest in the embrace for a few seconds before reluctantly pulling away. “I promise, I’ll be fine. I’m a Gemini witch, I got this,” she adds with a thin smile. He pulls her in for a chaste kiss then, pressing his lips against hers before finally letting her go, and she runs to catch up to the other witches.

She finds Hope in the gym right after class sitting on the bleachers, watching what was happening in front of her. [Josie had apparently multiplied and assembled a Supervillain Squad for herself, all of them dressed in black, and they were currently decorating for their – or, more like Dark Josie’s – birthday bash].

“Okay that settles it,” she says as she joins her, taking a seat beside her. “My sister is definitely a monster,” she tells the tribrid, half-jokingly. “Who else would decorate for our birthday party with black?” she asks, making a face.

“Shouldn’t you be in like… witness protection or something?” the tribrid asks, shaking her head, looking at her curiously.

“If she still wants to kill me, the safest place I can be, is right here next to you,” she informs her, flashing her a smile. Hope attempts an amused smile, but Lizzie can see she’s not into it.

“Shouldn’t that be your boyfriend?” the tribrid asks.

“Sebastian is helping Kaleb and the other vamps. The only way he let me go was if I was with you,” she replies with a shrug. “So, spill, I want to help you with whatever plan you’re cooking up.”

“Okay, fine,” Hope sighs before lowering her voice, “but, keep it down. I don’t want her to know we’re up to anything.”

“Up to what exactly?” someone says behind them, and they both turn only to find Josie smiling at both of them. “Oh, c’mon guys, this is all so unnecessary. If you have something to ask me, go ahead,” she quips, plastering on a fake smile. “I don’t bite,” she adds, clearly amused.

“Then I will,” Hope says, turning her attention to Josie. “Where’s Josie?” she asks, her gaze flickering to Lizzie’s.

“I’m right here, silly,” Josie quips, amused.

“No. Our Josie,” Hope retorts.

“Oh. You mean weak Josie?” her twin’s evil version retorts, and Lizzie sighs, looking down. “She’s gone, I thought I made that very clear,” she informs them. “Thanks to you, Selfish Sissy, she adds, and Lizzie’s gaze flickers to the ceiling as she sighs, though a pang of hurt forms in her chest. [She had to admit, where it concerned Josie, she had been selfish. She’d ignored her sister while her attention was focused entirely on Sebastian, but didn’t regret him. Sure, she regretted not paying attention to her sister, but she didn’t regret how much happier she’d been with Sebastian].

“You right,” she sighs in defeat, and Josie nods, clearly pleased with herself. “I was selfish. But, just come back, please. I’ll try and change,” she tries, a hint of emotion in her voice. But, it’s clear that this evil version of her sister wasn’t willing to give her the benefit of the doubt.

“You always say you’ll change,” she says, her voice barely above a whisper as she leans closer, “but it never sticks.” She straightens herself, that fake smile returning, “so, pass. Any other questions?” she asks.

“You said you came back here for a reason,” Hope says, and pauses before continuing, “because deep down you know we can bring the good inside of you out.” Lizzie’s heartbeat quickens, though she’s not as sure as her best friend. Dark Josie, on the other hand, pouts and sits up, resting her hands on their shoulders as she steps off the bleachers.

“You’re right,” she mutters. “I did come here for a reason. And, now I have to ruin the surprise,” she adds, smirking evilly as she snaps her fingers, and Lizzie’s jaw drops as she sees the magical banner that had appeared. _Happy Merge Day_ , it said, and beside her Hope inhaled sharply as Josie turned to face them once more.

“Merging isn’t even possible!” she blurts out immediately. “We’re not even twenty-two,” she adds, though her heart is racing.

“Yeah, see, it turns out that’s just a guideline,” Josie informs her, smirking. “Kind of like driving cars, smoking cigarettes… nobody wants you to do it before you’re old enough. But, you can,” she says, fake-cheerfully while both her and the tribrid look at her in something like horror. “So, I’ll see you both tonight. Finger food’s at around 7:30-ish. And then, the Merge at 8,” she grins. “Oh, and don’t be late, Lizzie,” she adds, leaning towards her. “Or, else I’ll have to do something drastic,” she threatens. With another fake smile, she turns around and jumps down to join her minions.

“Well, that went well,” Hope mutters with a sigh and stands up. Lizzie doesn’t say anything, and stands up as well before rushing to her room, her hands grabbing the first things she could find, Hope hot on her heels.

“Uh, Lizzie, what are you doing? What about Sebastian?” the Mikaelson girl fires at her as MG joins them in her room. For a second, she freezes, her mind immediately going to the vampire. [She knew that if she asked him to run with her, he would, no questions asked. He’d wanted to do it before, and it had been her who convinced him otherwise. But, part of her wonders if she should even take him with her, if it wouldn’t be easier to leave without him]. “You said you wanted to help,” she adds with a sigh.

“That was before I knew Josie wanted to Merge aka force a battle of wills where the winner… literally absorbs the loser!” she snaps, ignoring all of Hope’s earlier questions. “Meaning me,” she adds, throwing in one of Sebastian’s t-shirts before slamming her suitcase shut.

“Please, just hear her out,” MG says, probably referring to Hope’s master plan. “We can’t help Jo without you,” he adds, and she freezes, letting out a defeated sigh.

“Five minutes, Mikaelson,” she says as she sits on her bed. “And, this plan of yours had better include a nuclear warhead,” she tells her.

“Wait,” Hope says, pausing, “what about Sebastian?” she asks, crossing her arms over her chest. When she doesn’t say anything, realization dawns on the other girl’s face. “Lizzie! You haven’t told him?”

“Told him what?” MG asks, looking confused between the two of them.

“About the Merge. Right?” Lizzie just sighs, bowing her head. “Why haven’t you told him? He deserves to know!” Hope exclaims. [Sometimes, it really annoyed her that the tribrid had befriended Sebastian, that they were so close Hope knew him almost as well as she did. And, apparently, it also caused the tribrid to take his side].

“If you must know…” she pauses, her gaze flickering to Hope’s, “I haven’t told him because I don’t want to ruin this good thing we have. It’s so good, and both of us still have other issues to deal with… but, it’s still so good between us, I don’t want to ruin it,” she admits, and Hope sighs, her gaze no full of understanding.

“Lizzie,” she says carefully, moving closer to her. “You can’t keep this from him, you can’t have a relationship based on a lie,” she adds, and Lizzie knows she’s right. But, she refuses to admit it.

“It’s not. I’m not- I’m just- we’re fine, Hope. I don’t need your relationship advice!” she snaps.

“Look, he’s going to find out sooner or later. And, when he does, it’s going to be bad if you don’t tell him,” she argues.

“Tell me what?” The three of them turn around to look at the door only to find Sebastian leaning against it. “Are you going somewhere?” he asks, his gaze flickering to the suitcase beside her bed. Hope’s gaze flickers to hers while MG just stares at the floor.

“Not if Hope manages to convince me otherwise. Now, what is that plan, Mikaelson?” she asks forcefully, and Hope sighs before standing up, giving up on their earlier discussion.

“Okay, I’m making a potion,” the tribrid says, and the blonde rolls her eyes, not thrilled with the idea.

“Fizzy, refreshing, not a nuke,” she argues. [Hope Andrea Mikaelson had to have a better idea than a potion].

“Lizzie, please,” Hope says gently, and she bites her tongue to keep from retorting another comeback.

Her gaze flickers to Sebastian’s, and she can see the worry in his blue-green eyes. With a reluctant sigh, she nods, “okay, tell me about this potion.”

Hope sighs and continues, but Lizzie stops her when she says, “when you merge.”

“What do you mean ‘when’?” she asks, standing up slowly.

“Well, there really is no way around that part,” the tribrid tells her. “But, if this works, it will create a safe space in your mind, dividing Josie’s consciousness and yours when you absorb her,” she explains, and Lizzie immediately freezes, and she can feel Sebastian’s eyes on her.

“And, after we detox her with the dark magic cleanse, we’ll be able to put Jo’s mind back into her body,” MG adds, and Lizzie could practically see his hero excitement.

“And, both of you will be normal again,” Hope adds, smiling slightly, “ish.”

“Wait, you said when I absorb her. Does this stupid plan work only if I absorb her?” she asks, her heart hammering in her chest.

“Technically yes,” Hope tells her.

“But,” MG chimes in, pointing to her, “we believe in you.”

Before she can retort that that’s his first mistake, Sebastian jumps in, walking closer to them.

“Hold on, I’m a bit confused. I suppose I was a little late to the party. What exactly do you all mean by ‘merge’ and ‘absorb’? And what happens if Elizabeth doesn’t absorb Josette? Does Josette then absorb her? What does this all mean?” he asks, firing the questions at them, and Lizzie freezes, shaking her head. “What happens, then?” he asks, his gaze flickering between her, Hope and MG. “Elizabeth? Hope? Milton?” he asks.

“Lizzie?” MG asks quietly.

Hope opens her mouth to speak, and the blonde sighs in defeat, averting her gaze away from that of her boyfriend’s.

But, Sebastian beats the Mikaelson girl to it, “fine, I see,” he mutters before vamp-speeding out of the room, and Lizzie’s shoulders slump in relief.

“Lizzie-” Hope tries, but she doesn’t let her continue.

“No, I don’t want to talk about that. I- I’ll tell him. But, back to the biggest problem with your plan. I am my biggest fan, but even I know that Lord Josiemort is going to squash me like a bug!” she snaps, her eyes filled with tears. [She doesn’t know, though, if it’s because of the way Sebastian couldn’t even look at her when he left, or the fear that had started creeping in].

“That’s why I’m here,” MG pipes up, and groans when Hope elbows him.

“To pick up my bug guts?” she cries.

“No. To train you,” the vampire says simply, like it’s obvious, and Lizzie can practically see what he was imagining.

“Seriously?” she asks, rolling her eyes. “The Merge is a mental battle, MG. Not, ninja warrior, or whatever’s in your head!” she snaps while Hope just stands there. [It’s clear from her gaze that she’s still mad Lizzie was keeping the actual implications of the Merge from Sebastian].

“I can do that, too! I’m all about mind over matter!” MG quips.

“Lizzie’s right,” Hope finally says, “we need to find a witch that can help her.”

“No need,” she says, an idea already forming in her mind. “If we want to find out if I’m strong enough to win, I know exactly what witch can tell us,” she announces, and she can see Hope knows who she’s talking about.

“Okay, cool. So, who?” MG chimes in almost impatiently.

“MG, can you give us a moment?” Hope asks softly, and the vampire nods before vamp-speeding out of the room, leaving only the two of them. The Mikaelson girl walks over to her, and they both plop on her bed.

“Lizzie, you have to tell him. He knows something’s wrong. If you don’t, he’ll find out when it’s too late,” Hope says gently, resting a hand on her shoulder. “Do you really want that?”

Lizzie breathes in sharply, and a tear falls down her from the corner of her eye, “I can’t. I just… I can’t tell him I’m going to possibly die or kill my sister. Even if your potion thingy works. I’m sorry,” she finally admits, and Hope nods before reaching to wrap her arms around her. They rest in the embrace for a few seconds before finally pulling away.

“I know. I’m sorry for how I acted and for pushing you. It was unfair of me, especially since I know how having a death sentence feels,” the tribrid tells her softly, patting her shoulder gently, and Lizzie nods. “Do you… do you want me to tell him?” she asks after a few seconds of silence. Lizzie just nods, unable to say anything else.

They both exit her and Josie’s room, and she heads to Alyssa’s while Hope goes in search of Sebastian.

Despite her initial reluctance, Alyssa agrees to help her, pulling out her crystal ball, and for a second Lizzie is reminded of when she’d used it on Sebastian. Her chest constricts at the thought of him, how he still believed what Alyssa had told him, that he was unworthy of her, and part of her hates how she was hurting him by not telling him the truth. Shaking her head, she focuses back on Alyssa.

“You’re afraid,” the other witch says, and pauses, “no, you’re absolutely terrified,” she informs her, still holding the crystal ball between them.

“No, crap!” she exclaims, rolling her eyes. Alyssa opens her eyes to meet her gaze. “I didn’t need your stupid bowling ball to me that, okay? Josie is basically Darth Vader,” she snaps.

“Would you please shut up?” Alyssa interrupts her. “I need to concentrate, thanks in advance,” she adds, flashing her a smile.

With a sigh, she closes her eyes, her shoulders slumping.

“You’re not scared of Josie hurting you,” Alyssa continues, and pauses before adding, “you’re scared of hurting her.”

Lizzie sighs in defeat, “I’ve done so much to hurt her already. I just don’t want to make the same mistake again.” Alyssa sets the ball on the floor beside her.

“I don’t need a crystal ball to know that Josie is gonna tear you apart,” she tells her bluntly, pursing her lips, and Lizzie glances over at her, her stomach sinking with the realization. Alyssa continues, “the Merge is a battle of wills. The simple fact that you’re afraid of winning and losing,” she smiles, but it only sends chills down the blonde’s spine, “makes you a dead duck.”

“So, you’re telling me that I’m going to die because I became a better person?” she snaps as it clicks in her head, looking carefully at Alyssa, who just nods.

“Ironic, isn’t it?” Alyssa quips cynically, and Lizzie flinches.

“Well, screw personal growth,” she snaps, “okay? I’m going back to looking out for number one,” she announces as they both stand. “To being selfish. To hell with the Merge.” But even as she says the words, she knows they aren’t true.

“That’s the spirit,” Alyssa cheers as she leads her out of the room. But, before she opens the door, the witch stops. “There’s something else. Something else I sensed. You’re afraid he’s not going to forgive you for keeping the Merge a secret from him. You’re afraid he won’t want you- won’t want to put himself through the pain of losing a witch he cares for. You’re afraid he’ll try to turn you into a vampire, and you’re afraid that deep down that’s what you want. And, you’re afraid this will break you two forever,” she reveals, and Lizzie inhales sharply, reaching for the doorframe to brace herself. Alyssa doesn’t say anything, and once she straightens herself, she opens the door, ushering her out of the room, but before either of them can actually exit, the door is blocked by none other than Josie herself. Both of them steel themselves, ready to do attack back if needed.

“She won’t. And, neither will you,” her sister quips before flicking her wrist. There’s a loud crack, or really a snap as Josie literally snaps Alyssa’s neck, and the witch drops to the floor while Lizzie just stares in horror. “Was that drastic enough for you?” her sister adds with a smirk.

“You- you killed her…” she gasps, panting slightly. [She recalls the time her and Josie had found out about the Merge, and how they had fought. But, that had just been a few spells, throwing each other around, nothing so drastic as this].

Josie nods, “and, if you don’t show up tonight, I’ll start killing all your friends… or, maybe your vampire lover. Sebastian the Merciless,” she hisses. Part of her wants to say something, but all she can do is stare, horrified before rushing out.

[It clicks in her head, then. Josie wasn’t going to stop, but she didn’t want to die. And, as much as she didn’t want her friends to get hurt, they all had each other, they would all save each other. It wasn’t on her to save them. And, Sebastian probably hated her anyways]. So, she spins on her heel and rushes out of the room to her own, grabs her suitcase and a coat, and runs to her car. And, she drives off, not caring where she was going as long as she was going far away from Mystic Falls.

* * *

He stops a few feet away from the twins’ room, his heart hammering in his chest. A few minutes pass, and he strains his hearing to listen in on the conversation. He furrows his eyebrows as Elizabeth compares herself to a bug being squashed, and wonders what she was referring to. [Sometimes, her modern-day analogies confounded him, still]. Milton offers to train her, but she immediately tells him it’s about mind, not physical stamina, and the other boy eagerly agrees to that as well. Finally, Hope having sensed Elizabeth’s distress over Milton’s comments, throws him out, so Sebastian concentrates on the conversation between the two girls. He tenses up as Hope argues for Elizabeth to tell him whatever it was she was refusing to tell him, but this time it as in a much gentler manner. And then, he freezes when Elizabeth speaks up.

“ _…I just… I can’t tell him I’m going to possibly die or kill my sister-”_ she says, and that is all he needs to hear, his stomach dropping and he tightens his grip on the bannister he’d clenched his fingers around. Around him, other students rush to their classes, but none of them notice him.

“Hey, man,” Milton says approaching him from behind, and he turns sneering at the other vampire, and imagines how he must look, the grief already clear in his eyes.

“Save it, Milton,” he hisses, vampire face on full display as he speeds towards the other vampire, reaching to grab him. Milton takes a step back, and sighs sadly. For a second, neither of them say anything. “She’s going to die?” he asks, his voice shaking with emotion. Milton’s head drops, and he takes another step away.

“If Jo wins, y-” Sebastian doesn’t let him finish, and instead vamp-speeds to the Old Mill. He grabs the first thing he can find, a candlestick, and throws it across the room before reaching for something – anything – else. It’s a wooden chair, and it splinters as he throws it across the room before grabbing a table. Just as he’s about to slam it, he hears footsteps approaching, and immediately tenses, turning only to find Hope walking towards him. She stops at the top of the stairs leading into the mill, but doesn’t say anything.

“What do you want?” he snaps angrily as he breaks one of the table’s legs, and it splinters in his hands. “I’m not in the mood for company, Mikaelson!” he yells.

“Look, I’m sorry!” she exclaims, reaching for him. But he doesn’t let her, and throws her across the room in one swift move. Hope doesn’t fall though, and instead flips in the air before landing a few feet away from him. He sighs, and rips another leg from the table, throwing one to Hope. He swings first, but she blocks his attack.

“The Merge is a magical binding ceremony from the Gemini coven. It’s how the coven chooses its leaders. Since the Saltzmans are the only remaining Geminis, they have to go through with it,” she explains, panting slightly as they both swing their quickly-fashioned fighting sticks.

“And what does going through with it mean?” he hisses as he swings his stick at her. She blocks the attack, and swings back.

“It’s a battle of wills. The winner absorbs the loser. The weaker twin,” she tells him, and he swings at her, with more force, sending her flying backwards, but she flips twice, landing behind him. He feels her attack, and spins around, quickly bring up his own stick to block the attack.

“So, the stronger twin wins, and the weaker one loses. You mean, dies?” he demands as he swings at her again, and again. Hope matches his movements, blocking and dodging quickly.

“Yes. The weaker one dies. But, part of their mind remains… part of them remains in the winner-” He cuts her off, not wanting to hear her silver lining, and swings again. This time, Hope doesn’t expect the attack, and the blow slams her into the ground. She gets up swiftly, and braces herself, ready for an attack. “You might want to actually listen to this part!” she hisses as she swings at him, and he dodges the attack easily.

“Fine!” he growls. Their sticks clash again, repeatedly, a staccato burst of noise each time they slam against each other.

“That’s the key to my plan. And, my plan,” she pauses, swinging to block his attack, “is to create a potion that would basically divide Josie’s mind inside Lizzie’s when Lizzie wins the Merge. Then, once we detox the darkness out of Josie, we’ll put the mind back inside Josie,” she explains, swinging at him again. He swings back, but she dodges, flipping over in the air. They go at it again.

“But, for your plan to work, Elizabeth must win?” he demands, swinging again.

“Yes,” she admits, blocking his attack.

“And, if she doesn’t… she dies?” he asks, the concept still somehow unfathomable. [It’s a cruel twist of faith, and he wants to scream at the universe. It seems he’s doomed to love those who would meet a cruel death, and he can’t do anything to stop them]. Hope doesn’t say anything though, and when he swings this time, she lets him. She slams into the hard floor, and he moves towards her, extending his hand for her to take. She meets his gaze, filled with sadness. “And, do you believe she can?” he asks, his voice quiet, though he already knows the answer.

“Doesn’t matter if I believe. If Lizzie doesn’t believe it herself, she’ll lose,” she tells him, and he nods. His makeshift stick clatters to the ground as he drops it before sinking to the ground himself. There’s another clatter as Hope drops her own stick and sinks beside him, and he sighs as she rests her hand on his shoulder, reaching to take his hand in hers with her other one. He draws in a deep, shuddery breath, and exhales, practically sobbing as he bows his head.

“I cannot lose her, Hope. I cannot lose her because I love her. I went through this once with Cassandra, I cannot lose another woman I love like this… unable to do anything,” he finally says, his voice a breathless whisper. Tears spill onto his cheeks as he lets out another strangled sob, squeezing Hope’s hand in his. The Mikaelson girl pulls him to her, wrapping her arms around him, and he rests his head on her shoulder, and finally lets himself cry while Hope mutters softly, her hand patting his back lightly as she continues to hold him.

* * *

Eventually they break apart and part ways, and he heads for the showers once more before dropping by his room to change. He considers dropping by to see Elizabeth, but realizes he needs to gather himself before he does. His phone buzzes with a message from Hope to meet her in Headmaster Saltzman’s office, and he heads there, deciding he might as well be useful. He enters as Kaleb drags a teary-eyed Jed out of the room, and finds Hope leaning against an armchair while Alyssa Chang lies on the couch.

“Is she…” he trails off, pausing beside the tribrid, his gaze flickering to the witch. [Despite the time that had passed, a part of him hadn’t forgiven her for what she’d done when she revealed his deepest feelings. Still, she didn’t deserve to die].

“Dead? Yeah,” Hope says matter-of-factly, and sighs. Just then, Milton enters the room.

“Lizzie’s car and things aren’t here,” he announces, and Sebastian tenses immediately as Milton stands in front of them, his gaze flickering quickly between him and the tribrid. “She bolted,” he adds worriedly. Before he can say anything to the effect of Milton’s inability to keep an eye on Elizabeth, Milton notices Alyssa. “Is she… dead?” he asks, repeating his own earlier question. Hope nods.

“I knew Josie was dangerous. I just didn’t know she was this dangerous,” she says sadly.

“This is all my fault,” Milton laments. “If I could just have gotten through to her,” he sighs, and it takes a second for Sebastian to realize he was talking about Josette.

“If it’s anyone’s fault, it’s mine. Perhaps I should have given Elizabeth a chance,” he mutters sadly, and Hope rests her hand on his arm briefly.

“Don’t. It’s not your fault. Lizzie wasn’t ready to do it,” she whispers quietly.

“It’s like I keep sayin’,” Kaleb chimes in. “There is no getting through to her,” he argues.

“We are not giving up on Josie,” Hope retorts. “The only way to protect the school is to bring her back,” she argues, turning to face the other vampire.

“Tell that to Alyssa, Hope,” Kaleb argues, pointing to the witch.

“If we give up now, she’ll have died for nothing,” Hope says firmly, and he nods. “So, we have to stick to the plan,” she says seriously. Turning to Milton, she adds, “MG, I need you to bring Lizzie back.”

“No,” he snaps before Milton can say anything. “I’ll find Elizabeth and bring her back. I’m the only one who can get through to her, I’m the one she won’t face easily, but she needs to hear what I have to tell her,” he says, standing up, ready to go. Hope nods.

“Okay. MG, I need you to do something else for me,” she requests, sending him to look for something to help Josette. Once Milton is out of the room, he turns to his best friend. But, before he can ask her to locate Elizabeth, Kaleb marches over to the bookcase, pulling out a book only to unlock the bookcase, causing it to move.

“What are you doing?” he asks curiously.

“What Hope here won’t,” Kaleb quips, grabbing a crossbow and several arrows, and his gaze flickers to Hope’s. He vamp-speeds to the other vampire, causing him to drop the weapons on the floor with a clatter, before he snaps his neck swiftly. Hope groans.

“I had other plans,” she quips.

“Well, this was faster,” he retorts. Then, he reaches for his wrist and yanks something from around it. [It’s a bracelet, braided from black thread with only a hint of light blue that Elizabeth had somehow managed to grab from her dress back in the prison world. She’d given it to him when they’d officially become a couple by modern-day standards. While Cassandra’s pendant hung around his neck, Elizabeth’s bracelet was always tight around his wrist. He, too, had given her a locket with a picture of them inside and the words: _For I fancy you,_ engraved on the back]. Hope nods and takes it from him, muttering a spell to light up a few candles before pressing her hands together, the bracelet between her palms, mutter lowly.

She stops, and hands him the bracelet along with a vial, “gas station. Off route 29,” she informs him and he vamp-speeds in the direction.

Sure enough, he finds Elizabeth leaning against her car as she fills it with what she calls gas.

“I thought we were done playing that game with you leaving me,” he quips sarcastically as he steps closer. She looks up, and freezes, her posture rigid.

“What are you doing here?” she blurts.

“I came to see you,” he informs her, smirking slightly, and she bites her lip.

“To what? Berate me for not telling you about the Merge? Drag me back to the school, so I can die?” she demands, her eyes filled with tears, her voice trembling slightly. He shakes his head, and leans against the hood of the car.

“I told you I loved a witch who died before my eyes, didn’t I?” he says instead, ignoring her questions. Elizabeth nods, sighing.

“So? I’m sorry you have to repeat the experience, but that’s why I’m running,” she retorts, and he sighs. "To save us both the pain."

“Her name was Cassandra. She was beautiful, and looked much like you, except her eyes were green. I was enamored with her, and after spending decades on a boat, I couldn’t resist my desire for her. I fell for her, and she loved me, too, and she was the only one who was able to pull me from my less desirable qualities, curbing my true self…” he pauses, glancing over at her, but she doesn’t say anything. “But, I couldn’t contain myself for long, so I rampaged through the village. She was the only one who knew my secret, but the leaders of the village wanted to know who was slaughtering them. So, they asked her to find out. Cassandra conjured the Croatoan then to ferret out the lies the village leaders were feeding the rest. Except, she was keeping my secret, and when I found out what she’d been plotting, I feared she would become a target,” he continues, his voice shaking with emotion. “So, she desiccated me… to protect me,” he finally says, dropping his chin. There’s a pregnant pause as he tries to gather his thoughts and courage to finish telling her while Elizabeth sits there in silence, her fingers itching to touch his. “In that state, I watched the Croatoan tear her limb from limb until she could dispel it… unable to help her while she died,” he finishes, and a stray tear falls down his cheek, and he wipes it hastily. “You can see why I did what I did in the prison world. And, you can see why I am so bothered by the secret you’ve kept from me. How could you keep something like this from me? I’ve trusted you with so much, Elizabeth, and you didn’t tell me that you might die? That I might lose you?” he demands, his voice trembling with emotion, tears prickling at the corners of his eyes. Elizabeth flinches.

“I know it was selfish, I know that. And, I’m sorry. But, I just- I didn’t want to ruin what we had, I-” he cuts her off, not wanting to hear her apology, or really, not ready.

“Please don’t,” he tells her, shaking his head. “Are you running?” She nods in response. “Fine, then I’ll go with you,” he tells her simply. When she opens her mouth to protest, he doesn’t let her. “Oh, come on, Elizabeth, what’s stopping us? You’re incredibly selfish, and I only care about you. Let’s go. I told you, there’s a whole world out there,” he says, finally closing the space between them and taking her hand in his, and she laces their fingers together. Her gaze flickers to his once more, and he sees the surprise in her eyes.

“Really?” she asks softly. He nods. “What if I still have to do it when I’m twenty-two?” she asks quietly.

“I have a solution for that. Allow me to turn you into a vampire,” he proposes, ready to do it then and there if she asks. “I’ll do it right now, if you ask,” he adds quietly.

For a moment, neither of them says anything, and it is clear Elizabeth is considering it. Finally, she breaks the silence, “I’m sorry, but I can’t. As much as I want to… I can’t because I’m not sure. And, if I ever want to do that, I need to be sure,” she whispers, and he nods in defeat.

“Alright, Elizabeth. Now, shall we?” He smirks slightly at her, and she smiles back.

Finally, she gets up, and he follows along, both of them getting into the car, though Elizabeth doesn’t start the engine. “Are you sure?” she asks softly, glancing over at him.

“Of course. I told you, Elizabeth. I only care about you. And, you only care about yourself,” he tells her, though both of them know it’s a lie. “Besides, I’d very much like to show you the world.”

“Damn it!” she snaps, realization dawning on her face. “You’re only here to convince me otherwise. Life was so much easier when I only cared about myself,” she sighs melodramatically.

“Oh, don’t be dramatic. And, I would run with you. I just don’t think you’re selfish and would abandon those you love,” he tells her, running a hand through his hair. “Besides, you still owe me an apology,” he adds more quietly. With a scoff, Elizabeth turns the car around, speeding in the direction of the school, parking out front. Both of them get out, rushing to the gym, and she reaches for him, siphoning off him.

“I should have mentioned this before,” she announces as she enters the room stopping Josette from dropping Hope onto a stake and killing her, “but black really isn’t your color.”

“You’re late to your own funeral,” Josette quips, smirking.

“No. I am right on time to kick your ass!” Elizabeth retorts, and he can’t help but smirk proudly. The two of them climb into the ring and join Hope and Milton. Turning to Hope, Elizabeth quips, “this potion of yours better work. Because it tasted like feet.” Hope chuckles.

“It will,” the tribrid tells her, smiling. [He can’t help but wonder of the implications of the potion, but doesn’t say anything].

“Alright, now siphon me, you have to be at full strength,” Milton tells her, and Sebastian can’t help but roll his eyes at how he’s always there. But, Elizabeth shakes her head, and instead wraps her arms around his neck before her lips crash against his. He meets her halfway, and deepens the kiss, their tongues tangling together as Elizabeth siphons off him before finally pulling away, and he feels Hope’s hand on his arm steadying him.

“What was that for, Elizabeth?” he wonders, though he’s not complaining.

“Just in case,” she whispers softly, smiling sadly, and he attempts to smile back. His heart hammers in his chest, and he wonders if he should tell her the truth, but she just turns her attention to her sister. “Alright, Sister Satan. Let’s dance. But, I’m not getting my Merge on until I know the rest of the school is safe.”

Josette nods, and snaps her fingers, “everyone out. Now!” she hisses, and the others start clearing out immediately. The Necromancer hands Josette a knife. “You have no idea how long I’ve been waiting for this,” she hisses as she slashes her palm. Beside him, Milton tenses, and he reaches to grip him.

“Not long enough to think of something clever to say,” Elizabeth quips, before glancing back at him, her blue gaze meeting his. Then, she turns back to Josette, and they join hands before starting to chant the spell. Milton asks Hope about the spell while he can only focus on the scene in front of him as confetti floats in the air.

“If she can’t, let’s hope Plan B works,” the tribrid quips, and he furrows his eyebrows, but she just nods reassuringly. And then, it’s over and both Saltzmans drop to the ground just as the doors open revealing Alaric and Kaleb. Instinctively, he rushes at Elizabeth, gathering her in his arms, and he can feel that something is wrong, his heart hammering in his chest.

“No,” he mumbles, his fingers trailing along her skin, tracing her face. “No,” he shakes his head, letting out a half-sob as Alaric sinks to his knees beside him. “No,” he mumbles, his voice shaking. Josette sits up, and he glances over at her, and realization sinks in.

“Oh, don’t cry dad. One less mouth to feed,” she quips before vanishing along with the Necromancer and the others.

“No! No! No!” he cries, shaking his head, and he can feel tears streaming down his face but he doesn’t care as he cradles Elizabeth’s limp body against his. He can feel Hope’s hand on his shoulder as Alaric sits there, horrified.

“Sebastian,” Hope says softly. “Sebastian,” she says softly. “She’s going to be okay. I had another plan,” she whispers softly, but he’s only half listening, pressing Elizabeth to him. And then, she stands up, but he doesn’t pay any attention to what is happening around him.

“C’mon,” Alaric says softly. “Let’s get her out of here.” He nods, numbly, and picks her up before vamp-speeding to the Headmaster’s study where he lays her on the couch Alyssa had occupied earlier before reaching for her hand.

* * *

The fairy lights strung over the deck and the few lamps illuminating it cast a warm glow over the deck. Someone had installed a bench there at some point, and that’s where she notices him, his shoulders slumped and head down, and when she steps closer she notices he had something clasped in his hands. Instinctively, she reaches for the locket around her neck, running her fingers over it. She sighs softly as she rounds the bench, though she doesn’t move closer to join him. He senses her presence, of course he does, and turns, his sad eyes meeting hers.

“Hello, Elizabeth,” he greets her, attempting a half smile, but failing.

“Hi,” she says, finally sitting down on the bench beside him, though she doesn’t move. Silence descends between them as Sebastian turns back to gaze at the lake while she tries to make sense of her spinning thoughts. Finally, she settles for, “you okay?”

Sebastian doesn’t say anything at first, still gazing at the lake, his jaw locked, before he turns to her once more, loosening his fist to reveal the pendant that had belonged to Cassandra. [Of course he was thinking of _her_ after today, and Lizzie couldn’t blame him. After all, she’d been the one to keep the Merge, and its implications a secret from him, knowing he had watched one woman die in front of him once in his lifetime, and he couldn’t do it again. And, her heart broke for him]. Finally, he breaks the silence, “no, Elizabeth, I am not okay.” Lizzie just sighs, part of her wanting to reach across the small space between them and take his hand, but another part of her afraid he wouldn’t want her to.

“I- I’m sorry I didn’t tell you about the Merge,” she finally says, turning slightly towards him. “It was selfish, and I was scared, and I’m sorry. You deserved to know,” she adds, tears prickling at her eyes as she finally meets his gaze.

“I forgive you, Elizabeth. It’s just- it’s hard. Today was hard. My worst fear… I’ve always feared history repeating itself, I suppose. That you might meet a similar fate to Cassandra, that I would be unable to save you. It’s why I- why I did what I did in the prison world… tried to turn you into a vampire. I was assured when we returned and you’d forgiven me that those fears were unfounded…” he trails off sadly, and a stray tear finally spills over his cheek. He reaches and hastily wipes it away.

“I’m sorry about that, too. I shouldn’t have led you on. I don’t know if it would have changed anything, though, but I am sorry I didn’t tell you,” she tells him honestly, itching to reach for him, to feel his skin against hers, but not sure she should be the one to initiate it. She shakes her head, and finally lays her palm on top of his, squeezing his hand lightly. Sebastian stills, frozen for a second, though he doesn’t avert his gaze, and she can see how it affects him, the desperation clear in his blue eyes, in the way his lower lip trembles slightly. He shuts his eyes briefly, and sighs heavily, bowing his head for a second, and squeezes her hand tightly before looking up once more.

“I- if Hope hadn’t- I can’t- I don’t think I could live if I lost you, Elizabeth. Losing you would most certainly wreck me…” he admits, his voice thick with emotion, and her heart races, her breath hitching in her throat. [No one had ever said that to her, and it’s so clear in his eyes that he’s telling the truth. It makes her stomach flutter, and her cheeks flush a little because somehow someone caring this much about her and finding the possibility of losing her unbearable shakes her. And, it’s not just someone. It’s Sebastian. Not too long ago she’d thought he wouldn’t care for her as much as he had loved Cassandra. And, yet, he does. Or, at least he seems like he does]. “Because I love you,” he suddenly says, and she snaps her attention back to him, focusing on his blue eyes, and his steady voice, letting out a soft gasp. “I love you, Elizabeth… too much, and I cannot lose you. I love you,” he says, his voice filled with emotion, and she opens her mouth, then closes it, not knowing what to say.

“I…” she trails off, biting her lip. “You said that before,” she finally settles on, that all-too familiar feeling settling in. “And, then you called me-” he doesn’t let her finish though, and there is pain in his eyes. And then, he takes both her hands in his, his thumbs rubbing over her knuckles, and she meets his gaze unflinchingly, though her heart is hammering in her chest.

“Shh, don’t. Please don’t. I love you. I- before it was all a mess in my head. And, it wasn’t the right time. I don’t know if there ever will be a right time… but, I do know how I feel. I love you, Elizabeth Jenna Saltzman. You see the good in me, and the bad… you inspire me to be a better man, someone you deserve. You see my broken pieces and you don’t run. You’ve put me back together, Elizabeth… you’ve made me feel whole again. You’re the light at the end of a very dark tunnel… you are my light. I love you,” he says, his voice now filled with conviction as he gazes at her steadily. “I love you,” he repeats, almost as if trying to convince her he’s telling the truth, but she doesn’t need convincing. She knows. [Part of her finds it almost surreal though, that he loves her this much, an immeasurable amount in such a short span of time. But, she does, too].

She pulls her hands out of his only to cup his cheeks firmly, her thumb tracing his cheeks before she crashes her lips to his, pouring all of her emotions into the kiss, her lips molding with his, their tongues tangling together. She kisses him desperately, a lingering sort of kiss he eagerly returns, leaning into the touch.

And when she pulls away, her cheeks flushed, she gazes at him deeply, letting herself get lost in the depths of his blue-green eyes. “I love you, too,” she finally says breathlessly, though her voice is steady. “I love you, Sebastian,” she repeats, for good measure. Sebastian smiles, and reaches to cup her cheeks. And then, he kisses her. Desperately, passionately, full of love.


End file.
